Summer’s here, and along with it comes our routine pastimes and experiences.
Fans are whirling 24/7 as the hot and sticky summer days have settled in. We put on the familiar invisible heavy blanket of humidity that we wear in July along with our shorts, sandals, and T-shirts. It could as easily be you or me who might find yourself staring into space while swatting flies, and perhaps if on your lunch break, munching on some fries.
When I am in the middle of a project and trying to accomplish something, I find the presence of flies to be really intensely annoying. Their buzzing flightpath agitates my ears and then there is that sudden jolt of irritation when they land on your arm.
How about the icky lingering twinge sensation even after they are gone? Eck!
It seems upside down that flies can command such undeserved authority over my time and attention. They interrupt my tasks persistently without an invitation to do so. My productivity comes to an abrupt full stop until the fly situation can be resolved. The resolution is not immediate nor as simple as it should be because it requires that other bothersome layer of involvement called patience.
To combat the flying battalion, I need to stop my other activities, observe, breathe softly, then wait and wait a while some more until my pesky enemies decide to land. Eventually after multiple attempts of calculated swats, I hope to be the victor in the battle against the tiny flying intruders.
How can something so small as an insignificant fly force me to completely abandon my highly structured and prioritized “to-do” list? Wanting to have complete control over our time and how it is invested is something we take for granted. It is very normal to feel impatient with unexpected interruptions especially bothersome ones that change our plans.
Maybe there is a lesson to be learned or another voice trying to capture our attention to be discovered within the space of the interruption. A primary lesson to be gained is the fruit to be picked from the back of our mind’s eye when we actually simply slow down and allow our thoughts to breathe without the limits of a predetermined order of priorities.
If it takes a fly to make us set aside our agenda and stop and think for a minute, I guess the fly has a reason to enter the room.
Listening to your constructive brain chatter can be revealing. Engulfed in the oppressive heat of summer, I might think, “Hey, I would much rather be too cold right now than be too hot.” I remember, though, that in the frigid wintertime I was wishful thinking, “Wow, I would much rather be smothered by the July heat right now instead freezing in this frigid January chill.”
Can you consider seeking a road to peace and satisfaction within the moment that you are in right now? I suggest that you can find fulfillment in acts of service and caring for others. What is motivating your priorities in how you spend your time?
Considering all of your responsibilities, is it the big projects that truly matter? Could you apply more attention to some smaller but impactful tasks that you might be ignoring or overlooking? Rearrangement of our to-do list can lead to inspiration and a better overall perspective.
Try carving out some quiet time for just thinking. Omit the agenda and engage in listening and observing in the quiet without the computer, TV or phone. An openness to innovation or guidance that is nearby waiting for our attention could emerge. In a quiet moment we can find ourselves drawn into a space where we are able think beyond ourselves and past our personal needs and comforts.
Deeper introspection can prompt us to consider connecting to the needs of others and how we might contribute to their well-being.
I recommend that you include in your reflections an indelible record of the lessons that you learned from the Memorial Day storm. At a minimum, an extended power failure taught us that we should not take things for granted. Among the many other difficulties related to storm damage, you most likely felt immediate discomfort and frustration if you lost the ability to store and prepare food while the utilities were being restored.
For most, the inconvenience of utility interruption and loss of food supply in the home was quite unusual and perhaps a once in a decade experience. For many of our neighbors who are struggling economically, it is a more typical situation to go without the ability to consistently afford utilities, or to acquire and store food for their families.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15 NKJV.
Janet Mills is the director of Cassville Pantry, located at 800 W. 10th St. in Cassville. She may be reached at cassvillepantry@gmail.com or 417 846-7871.
